Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill [Lords],Ordered, That the Explanatory Notes relating to the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill [Lords] be printed [Bill 112EN].

2

State Pension Credit Bill [Lords],The Order of the day being read, for the Second Reading of the State Pension Credit Bill [Lords];

And a Motion being made, and the Question being proposed, That the Bill be now read a second time;

An Amendment was proposed to the Question, to leave out from the word That' to the end of the Question and add the words this House declines to give a Second Reading to the State Pension Credit Bill [Lords] because it involves a further move towards the mass means-testing of the pensioner population; believes that it will greatly increase the complexity of the pension system both for today's pensioners and for future generations, will result in many pensioners missing out on their entitlements, and will serve to erode incentives to save; and believes that the additional expenditure would have been better directed towards the basic state pension, particularly for older pensioners', instead thereof.(Mr David Willetts.)

And the Question being put, That the Amendment be made;

The House divided.

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr John Randall, Mr Julian Brazier: 191.

Tellers for the Noes, Dan Norris, Jim Fitzpatrick: 299.

So the Question was negatived.

And the Main Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 62 (Amendment on second or third reading):It was agreed to.

The Bill was accordingly read a second time.

3

State Pension Credit Bill [Lords] (Programme),A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith pursuant to Order [28th June], That the following provisions shall apply to the State Pension Credit Bill [Lords]:

Committal

(1) The Bill shall be committed to a Standing Committee.

Programming of proceedings

(2) All proceedings on the Bill (including any proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments or on any other messages from the Lords) shall be programmed.

Proceedings in Standing Committee

(3) Proceedings in the Standing Committee shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion on Tuesday 30th April.

(4) The Standing Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on which it meets.

Consideration and Third Reading

(5) Proceedings on consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at Nine o'clock on the day on which those proceedings are commenced or, if that day is a Thursday, at Six o'clock on that day.

(6) Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at Ten o'clock on the day on which proceedings on consideration are commenced or, if that day is a Thursday, at Seven o'clock on that day.

(7) Sessional Order B (Programming Committees) made on 28th June 2001 shall not apply to proceedings on consideration and Third Reading(Mr Fraser Kemp);

State Pension Credit Bill [Lords] [Money],Her Majesty's Recommendation having been signified to the proposed Motion relating to State Pension Credit Bill [Lords] [Money];

A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 52 (Money and ways and means resolutions in connection with bills), That for the purposes of any Act resulting from the State Pension Credit Bill [Lords], it is expedient to authorise

(1) the payment out of money provided by Parliament of

(a) any sums payable by way of state pension credit;

(b) any expenditure incurred by the Secretary of State or other government department under or by virtue of the Act; and

(c) any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable out of money so provided under any other Act; and

(2) the payment into the Consolidated Fund of any increase attributable to the Act in the sums which under any other Act are payable into that Fund(Mr Fraser Kemp):It was agreed to.

5

Welsh Grand Committee,Ordered, That

(1) the matter of the Budget Statement and its implications for Wales, being a matter relating exclusively to Wales, be referred to the Welsh Grand Committee for its consideration;

(2) the Committee shall meet on Wednesday 24th April at half-past Ten o'clock and between Four o'clock and Six o'clock at Westminster to take questions under Standing Order No. 103 (Welsh Grand Committee (questions for oral answer)), and to consider the Budget Statement and its implications for Wales, under Standing Order No. 107 (Welsh Grand Committee (matters relating exclusively to Wales)).(Mr Fraser Kemp.)

6

Public Petitions,Public Petitions from

(1) residents of North Kent for the restriction of occasions on which fireworks can be sold to and used by the general public,

(2) residents of Bolton against the closure of Bolton Magistrates' Court, and

(3) Mr and Mrs L. S. Morgan regarding the conviction of their son Gerard Morgan,

were presented and read; and ordered to lie upon the Table and to be printed.

7

Adjournment,Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.(Mr Fraser Kemp.)

And accordingly the House, having continued to sit till one minute past Eleven o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow.

(1) a proposed contingent liability consequent upon indemnification for any legal action against Mr John Alder, Chair, and members of the external review team into retained organs handling at Birmingham Children's Hospital,

(2) a proposed contingent liability consequent upon indemnification for any legal action against Mr Nigel Pleming QC, Chair, and members of the independent investigation into how the NHS handled allegations about the conduct of William Kerr and Michael Haslam, and

(3) a proposed contingent liability consequent upon indemnification for any legal action against Ms Tove Steen Sorensen-Bentham, Chair, and members of the Portsmouth Hospitals Trust external review of renal services

[Mr Secretary Milburn].

2

Treaty Series (No. 13, 2002),Exchange of Notes, done at The Hague on 11th January 2000 and 14th September 2001, between the Government of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands extending the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters 1959 to the Isle of Man [Cm. 5478] [Mr Secretary Straw].

Animal Health,Return of Expenditure Incurred and Prosecutions taken under the Animal Health Act 1981, and Incidences of Disease in Imported Animals, for the year 2001 [by Act] [Secretary Margaret Beckett].

11

Culture, Media and Sport,Government Response to the Second Report from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Session 200102, on Testing the Waters: The Sport of Swimming [by Command] [Cm. 5480] [Secretary Tessa Jowell].

12

Customs and Excise,Report and Financial Statements of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise for 200001, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Command] [Cm. 5309] [Mr Paul Boateng].

Industrial Organisation and Development,Report and Accounts of the Apple and Pear Research Council for 200001 [by Act] [Secretary Margaret Beckett].

16

Law Commission,Thirty-sixth Annual Report of the Law Commission for 2001 [by Act]; to be printed [No. 642] [Mr Michael Wills].

17

Political Parties, Elections and Referendums,Corporate Plan of the Electoral Commission for 200203 to 200607 [by Act] [The Speaker].

18

Public Petitions,Observations by

(1) the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the Petitions [28th February] from citizens of United Kingdom, and from farmers, hoteliers, families and residents of south Cumbria, calling for a full and independent public inquiry into the recent foot-and-mouth epidemic, and

(2) the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on the Petition [11th March] from residents of Kensworth against the siting of mobile phone masts in residential areas in Kensworth

[by Standing Order]; to be printed [Clerk of the House].

19

School Standards and Framework,Accounts of

(1) Hastings and St. Leonards Education Action Zone, and

(2) Leigh Park Education Action Zone

for 200001, with the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [Nos. 716 and 717] [Clerk of the House].

20

Treasury Executive Agencies,Product Accounts of National Savings for 200001, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 702] [Ruth Kelly].

Public Accounts,Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee of Public Accounts [Opening the Post: Postcomm and postal servicesthe risks and opportunities]; to be printed [No. 632-ii] [Mr Edward Leigh].

2

Science and Technology,Minutes of Evidence taken before the Science and Technology Committee [Science Education from 14 to 19]; to be printed [No. 508-iii] [Dr Ian Gibson].

[No. 123.]

Tuesday 26th March 2002.

The House met at half-past Eleven o'clock, pursuant to Order [19th March].

PRAYERS.

1

City of London (Ward Elections) Bill,The Order of the day being read, for further consideration of the City of London (Ward Elections) Bill, as amended by the Chairman of Ways and Means;

Ordered, That the Bill be further considered on Tuesday 9th April.

2

Mersey Tunnels Bill,The Order of the day being read, for the Second Reading of the Mersey Tunnels Bill;

Ordered, That the Bill be read a second time on Wednesday 10th April.

3

London Development Agency Bill,The Order of the day being read, for the Second Reading of the London Development Agency Bill;

Ordered, That the Bill be read a second time on Thursday 11th April.

4

Message from the Lords,A Message was brought from the Lords, as follows:

HSBC Investment Banking Bill [Lords],The Lords have passed a Bill to provide for the transfer of the investment banking business of HSBC Investment Bank plc to HSBC Bank plc and the transfer of the private banking business of HSBC Investment Bank plc to HSBC Republic Bank (UK) Limited; and for connected purposes; to which the Lords desire the concurrence of this House.

Telecommunications Transmitters (Restrictions on Planning Applications) Bill,The Order for reading the Telecommunications Transmitters (Restrictions on Planning Applications) Bill a second time on Friday 12th April was read and discharged.

Enterprise Bill,Ms Secretary Hewitt, supported by the Prime Minister, Mr Secretary Prescott, Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Secretary Reid, Mr Secretary Murphy, Mrs Secretary Liddell, Miss Melanie Johnson and Mr Paul Boateng, presented a Bill to establish and provide for the functions of the Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Appeal Tribunal; to make provision about mergers and market structures and conduct; to establish the Competition Service; to amend the constitution and functions of the Competition Commission; to create an offence for those entering into certain anti-competitive agreements; to provide for the disqualification of directors of companies engaging in certain anti-competitive practices; to make other provision about competition law; to amend the law relating to the protection of the collective interests of consumers; to make further provision about the disclosure of information obtained under competition and consumer legislation; to amend the Insolvency Act 1986 and make other provision about insolvency; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Tuesday 9th April and to be printed [Bill 115].

Ordered, That the Explanatory Notes relating to the Enterprise Bill be printed [Bill 115EN].

8

Trespassers on Land (Liability for Damage and Eviction),Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make a person liable for any damage caused to land, or property on that land, on which he is trespassing for the purpose of residing there; to amend the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in respect of eviction from land; and for connected purposes: And that Mr Crispin Blunt, Mr Peter Ainsworth, Sir Paul Beresford, Virginia Bottomley, Chris Grayling, Mr Philip Hammond, Mr Nick Hawkins, Mr Andrew Mackay, Mr Humfrey Malins, Richard Ottaway, Mr Ian Taylor and Mr David Wilshire do prepare and bring it in.

9

Trespassers on Land (Liability for Damage and Eviction) Bill,Mr Crispin Blunt accordingly presented a Bill to make a person liable for any damage caused to land, or property on that land, on which he is trespassing for the purpose of residing there; to amend the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in respect of eviction from land; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 10th May and to be printed [Bill 116].

10

Standards and Privileges,Resolved, That this House approves the Sixth Report of the Committee on Standards and Privileges (House of Commons Paper No. 624), Registration of Interests by Members who have not taken their seat, and resolves that its provisions should come into force three months after the date of this Resolution.(Jim Fitzpatrick.)

11

Football (Disorder) (Amendment) Bill,The House, according to Order, proceeded to consider the Lords Amendments to the Football (Disorder) (Amendment) Bill.

Lords Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 were agreed to.

12

Adjournment (Matters to be considered before the forthcoming adjournment),A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House do now adjourn(Mr Gerry Sutcliffe);

And it being Seven o'clock, the Motion for the adjournment of the House lapsed, without Question put.

13

Pensions,Ordered, That the Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (S.I., 2002, No. 206), dated 5th February 2002, a copy of which was laid before this House on 13th February, be referred to a Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation.(Angela Smith.)

14

Local Government,Ordered, That the Local Government (Best Value) Performance Plans and Reviews Amendment and Specified Dates Order 2002 (S.I., 2002, No. 305), dated 13th February 2002, a copy of which was laid before this House on 14th February, be referred to a Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation.(Angela Smith.)

15

Social Security,Ordered, That the Social Security Amendment (Residential Care and Nursing Homes) Regulations 2002 (S.I., 2002, No. 398), dated 21st February 2002, a copy of which was laid before this House on 27th February, be referred to a Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation.(Angela Smith.)

16

Adjournment,Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.(Angela Smith.)

Local Government Finance,(1) Local Government Finance (England) Special Grant Report (No. 97) on Special Grants for Local Government On-Line Funding to Local Authorities [by Act]; to be printed [No. 721] [Mr Secretary Byers] and

(2) Local Government Finance (England) Special Grant Report (No. 96) on Special Grants for School Standards and Support of post-sixteen budgets [by Act]; to be printed [No. 710] [Secretary Estelle Morris].

Education and Skills,Department for Education and Skills Minute, dated 26th March 2002, concerning a contingent liability in respect of arrangements to allow the appointment of a receiver to manage the affairs of Nottinghamshire Enterprises Ltd. (formerly North Nottinghamshire Training and Enterprise Council) [by Command] [Secretary Estelle Morris].

13

Government Annuities,Account of Government Annuities and Insurances for 2001 [by Act] [Ruth Kelly].

with the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [Nos. 724, 726 and 725] [Clerk of the House].

20

Transport,Statement of Guarantee given by the Treasury on 26th March 2002 in respect of temporary borrowing by the British Waterways Board from National Westminster Bank plc [by Act] [Mr Paul Boateng].

APPENDIX II

Reports from Select Committees

1

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,Minutes of Evidence taken before the Disposal of Refrigerators Sub-Committee of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee [Disposal of Refrigerators]; to be printed [No. 673-ii] [Mr Michael Jack].

2

Statutory Instruments,Twenty-fourth Report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, together with Memoranda laid before the Committee; to be printed [No. 135-xxiv] [Mr Brian White].

3

Welsh Affairs,Minutes of Evidence taken before the Welsh Affairs Committee [Broadband Cabling in Wales]; to be printed [No. 676-ii] [Mr Martyn Jones].

Notice given by the Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order No. 13 (Earlier meeting of House in certain circumstances):

Whereas Her Majesty's Government have represented to me, Michael Martin, Speaker of the House of Commons, that the public interest requires the House to meet at an earlier time than the 9th day of April 2002 and I am satisfied that the public interest does so require:

Now, therefore, I hereby give notice pursuant to the Standing Order (Earlier meeting of House in certain circumstances) that the House shall meet on Wednesday the 3rd day of April 2002 at half-past Eleven of the clock.

Given under my hand this 31st day of March 2002.

[No. 124.]

Wednesday 3rd April 2002.

The House met at half-past Eleven o'clock.

PRAYERS.

1

Death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother,The House observed a minute's silence in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who died on 30th March.

2

Death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother,Resolved, nemine contradicente, That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, expressing the deep sympathies and condolences of this House on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, whose life was given unstintingly in devoted public service to the Country and the Commonwealth; who with his late Majesty King George VI rallied the nation in the darkest days of war and who in times of peace was a unifying figure for Britain, inspiring love and affection in all she met.(The Prime Minister.)

Address to be presented to Her Majesty by such Members of this House as are of Her Majesty's most honourable Privy Council or of Her Majesty's Household.

3

Sittings of the House,A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 25 (Periodic adjournments), That this House, at its rising this day, do adjourn till Wednesday 10th April(Mr Gerry Sutcliffe):It was agreed to.

4

City of London (Ward Elections) Bill,The Order for further consideration of the City of London (Ward Elections) Bill on Tuesday 9th April was read and discharged.

Bill to be further considered on Wednesday 10th April.

5

Adjournment,Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.(Mr Gerry Sutcliffe.)

Papers presented by Her Majesty's Command and delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on the undermentioned dates during the adjournment pursuant to Standing Order No. 158 (Presentation of command papers):

Thursday 28th March 2002

1

Slovakia (No. 1, 2002),Agreement, done at Bratislava on 11th January 2001, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Slovak Republic on International Road Transport [Cm. 5479] [Mr Secretary Straw].

Papers delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on the undermentioned dates during the adjournment pursuant to Standing Order No. 159 (Presentation of statutory instruments):

Draft Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002,The Committee of Selection has discharged Mr Kevan Jones from the First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation (nominated in respect of the draft Regulations); and nominated in substitution Mrs Liz Blackman.